BEACON FALLS, Conn. — When looking at tourism business statistics in the United States, California, Florida and New York usually are at the top for attracting the most visitors in any given year.
Places like Chicago and Washington, D.C., also rank high, as do destinations in warm weather states such as Arizona and Texas, especially in the wintertime.
One state that recently broke its tourism record and posted a 31% increase in travelers in the past decade is Colorado.
Mesmerized by its all-seasons beauty, 93.3 million people visited the state in 2023 and spent $28.3 billion, with the metro Denver area generating most of those tourists. Another popular destination 75 miles to the south is the Colorado Springs and Pikes Peak region, home to one of the most beautiful resorts in the country.
In 2023, U.S. News & World Report ranked The Broadmoor as the nation’s 10th-best resort property. Earlier this year, Forbes Travel Guide renewed its five-star rating for the 64th consecutive year, the longest active streak for any hotel worldwide.
Living up to the highly demanding reputation requires the best from the best. That’s why when it was time to upgrade their laundry equipment two years ago with better and more sustainable solutions, management turned to LAVATEC.
“Expectations for a five-star, five-diamond resort are like no other,” explains John Fish, The Broadmoor’s chief facilities maintenance mechanic who has worked at the property’s on-premises laundry (OPL) for 41 years.
“Our linens must be of impeccable quality and cleanliness, and no stained or torn linen is acceptable. Guest demands are met to give a superior stay experience.
“Demands on our laundry department can at times be a challenge. We have employees who are flexible and equipment that is part of a resilient system to accomplish the needs of the hotel and our guests. Adding the new LAVATEC tunnel washer and other equipment has enhanced the quality and production of our laundry.”
CRÈME DELA CRÈME OF U.S. RESORTS
Throughout the years, The Broadmoor has served as a destination for U.S. presidents, foreign dignitaries, sports stars and entertainment celebrities.
A one-time dairy farm, early owners built a casino and later added a small hotel on the property in the late 1800s before it fell on hard times. Things took a dramatic turn when Spencer Penrose, a Philadelphia entrepreneur who made his fortune in gold and mining, purchased The Broadmoor Casino and Hotel’s 40-acre site and an adjoining 400 acres in 1916.
With a vision to create the most beautiful resort in the world, he hired Warren and Wetmore, a well-known New York architectural and design firm. Construction of the main complex began the next year. When it opened on June 29, 1918, guests were greeted by dramatic chandeliers, spectacularly curved marble staircases, a carved marble fountain and a striking pink stucco façade.
Continuous improvements over the years have only added to its allure.
Today, located on the south side of Colorado Springs and nestled in the foothills on the southern edge of the Rocky Mountains, which includes Pike’s Peak at 14,115 feet tall, the numbers—like the breathtaking views and resort experience—are staggering.
Owned by Denver-based Anschutz Corp., The Broadmoor has grown to 5,000 acres with 784 on-site rooms. To accommodate guests, there are 20 retail boutiques, diverse restaurants, cafes and lounges, two legendary golf courses, a world-renowned five-star spa, and over 315,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor meeting space.
The responsibility for maintaining the mountain of laundry produced daily at the complex belongs to Fish and laundry manager Anthony Cruz, who joined The Broadmoor in 2019 as the assistant director of housekeeping.
They manage a staff of 35 employees who rotate shifts seven days a week and another 21 who work on the drycleaning side six days a week.
The laundry facility requires 60,000 square feet of space, plus a separate 6,000 square feet for drying cleaning.
Last year, the department processed 4.5 million pounds of laundry. They are projected to finish 2024 with an increase to 4.7 million pounds.
“The mix of laundry items we produce is vast,” says Fish, noting the 784 rooms account for just 60% of the total production. “We run all hospitality linen sheets with a 60/40 blend, including duvets, shams, terry towels, rugs and microfiber robes. We also process linen for three of our mountain properties.”
Those properties account for another 40 rooms, starting with the 22 cabins at Cloud Camp. The popular all-inclusive offers sensational views at 9,000 feet above sea level.
The Broadmoor Emerald Valley Ranch contains 13 cabins, and there are another five cabins at Fly Fishing Camp located 75 miles west of the main resort.
“We process all of these linens daily during the months of May to October each year,” Cruz says. “The cabins are very popular and are usually sold out during the summer, so we use our vans to deliver twice a day.”
Fish says the other 40% of the laundry work is split between several sources.
“Food and beverage is a mix of Visa and cotton linens, and the napery is cotton we service for 19 different restaurants and convention services around the property,” he shares. “We handle all sizes, ranging from napkins to 22-132-inch round tablecloths. This work equals about 30% of our production.”
Fish says the remaining balance is generated by the golf club and spa and the outdoor pool. These venues are extremely busy in the summertime and increase the poundage rate by needing to clean 5,000 to 7,000 towels per day.
The laundry department also includes a dedicated dry-cleaning section which handles guest needs and any outside visitor guest requests.
“We use two route trucks and have a public counter area for any of the outside customers,” Fish says. “We also dry clean the uniforms of our 2,000 employees, using two dry cleaning machines and four, 60-pound washers to handle the 5,000 to 6,000 pounds of wash per week.”
Read about the new equipment in the conclusion on Thursday.
Have a question or comment? E-mail our editor Matt Poe at [email protected].
